Rebranding the education district

October 7, 2010

by Marlena Diaz and Dan Fogarty

Citizens met Wednesday night to discuss plans to rebrand a part of the Pine Hills neighborhood

Consultants to the city Wednesday recommended ways to reduce crime in the Pine Hills neighborhood, including, using environmental design as a deterrent. A second public meeting was convened for city homeowners, landlords and students to learn about the City of Albany Education District Enhancement Study. Several consultants sought ideas from about 30 people who attended a neighborhood gathering at The College of Saint Rose.

The consultants recommended included changing the name of the area, increasing visibility inside business store fronts, installing new neighborhood sidewalks, and implementing code enforcement fees to encourage homeowners to maintain properties. “The Quad,” “Albany Annex,” and “NoMad” for North of Madison are a few of the names that were recommended by the consultants.

A round-table type conference was held where folks sat around tables with surveys, maps, markers and poster board as tools to generate feedback on how to improve the neighborhood’s reputation. The study’s five central themes focused on connectivity, sustainability, neighborhood character, quality of housing and crime prevention.

One way to improve pedestrian visibility, according to the experts, would be to eliminate blind spots and hiding places near walkways. Craig Church, a senior landscape architect for Stantec Consulting, proposed the city increased pedestrian lighting, redesign sidewalks and add pedestrian traffic signals.

Church, a 13-year native of the Capital Region, has completed major projects in the Pine Hills neighborhood, including revitalizing the strip near the Madison Theater, and went on to say how a little change can go a long way in creating a whole different atmosphere. “When you change the physical surroundings people will want to be a part of that area as well as treat that area with more respect.”

The evening’s discussion connected community members with local leaders like Albany Common Council member Leah Golby who attended to promote “a safe and inviting neighborhood” which she said can “be accomplished a variety of ways, from addressing codes to pedestrian safety.”

Georges Jacquemart, a principal for BFJ Planning, said modifications to existing codes would include the creation of a “disorderly house” designation. Inspections would occur annually, instead of every 30 months. The recommendations proposed landlords be issued probationary rental occupancy permits that would give code enforcement the ability to deny, suspend or revoke a landlord’s license. Fines associated with code violations would be included with an owner’s tax bill.

Assessing fees on tax bills is one way to eliminate blight and increase maintenance around properties, Jacquemart said.

“Adding these violation tickets to their taxes would force homeowners to fix the problem knowing that their was no way to get away from paying those fines,” he said. “It would aide the district in keeping up to code and keeping the area a safer place to live and be a part of.”

Dan Rogers, an area landlord who owns, maintains, and rents his 30 apartment buildings in the neighborhood to area college students, attended the meeting to recommend the study include provisions on “the grouper law.” The “grouper law” limits the amount of unrelated people who are permitted to live in the same dwelling. Currently, the law allows no more than three unrelated people to live together.

“Students feel safer in groups,” Rogers said. “There are hundreds of apartments that have four bedrooms in the area.”

Jacquemart and Church both recommend the neighborhood makeover should happen in phases. The City of Rye, in downstate New York, and the town of Essex Junction in Vermont were both successful in their revitalization plans because they phased in each of their projects, he said. “Going in without a direct plan will cause even more roadblocks. This is why we are here tonight getting more feedback. This will not be the last time we look for feedback, not by a long shot,” Jacquemart said.

After attendees convened at their respectives tables, they shared their ideas with the consultants and city representatives.

The enhancement study is a result of a $95,000 grant sponsored by the Capital District Transportation Committee whose partnership includes the City of Albany, the College of Saint Rose and the University at Albany. -30-